The present invention relates generally to merchandising display cabinets for outdoor use and, more particularly, to an outdoor display cabinet which has a cabinet-retained front door convertible into a sign structure.
Outdoor display cabinets such as motor oil display cabinets at automobile service stations typically utilize front and/or rear cover panels or doors for closing the cabinet to protect the displayed contents when the service station is not operating. When the cabinet is opened for services, these cover panels must be moved to a certain position such as a remote storage location where the panels do not block the open front or back of the cabinet. Frequently, storage space for such cover panels in service stations is not convenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,206 discloses an outdoor display cabinet having a pair of removable panels for covering the display areas of the cabinet. The cover panels in this patent are so constructed that when removed from the cabinet, they can be secured together to form a self-standing sign structure. This dispenses with a storage space for the removed cover panels. However, daily removal and reinstallation of the removable cover panels are still annoying duties to those who attend to the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,377 discloses an outdoor display cabinet having cabinet-retained cover panels for locking the cabinet. The cover panels are slidably and concealably connected to the cabinet so that it can be retained together with the cabinet even when the cabinet is opened. This arrangement, however, requires an elaborate structure including the panel-guiding tracks, the panel-accommodating internal space and a number of the panel-constituting slats.
What is needed, therefore, is a display cabinet with a cover panel or door which is simple in structure and easy to attend to. Such a cabinet should obviate the necessity of removing cover panels and should still be capable of preventing pilfering.